Pear & Walnut Upside-Down Cake
Honey-glazed pears fan across the top when you turn it out, over a tender walnut sponge. A showpiece that needs no frosting.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 10
- Intermediate, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 3 ripe but firm pears, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp raw honey (melted together in the pan)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup (110 g) raw honey
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted butter
- 1/2 cup (120 g) Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 cup (75 g) ground walnuts
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt
What goes into Pear & Walnut Upside-Down Cake
This one comes together in two parts, each doing its own job:
- Topping. Built from 3 ripe but firm pears and a few others.
- Cake. Built from 3 large eggs and a few others.
How to make it
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the base of a 9-inch round pan.
Melt butter and honey; pour into the pan. Arrange pear slices in a fan over it.
Whisk eggs, honey, melted butter, yogurt and vanilla.
Fold in flour, ground walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Spoon batter gently over the pears; smooth the top.
Bake 38–42 minutes until golden and set. Cool 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate.
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Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Pear & Walnut Upside-Down Cake really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Pear & Walnut Upside-Down Cake keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Pear & Walnut Upside-Down Cake make?
This makes enough for 10. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Pear & Walnut Upside-Down Cake
Honey-glazed pears fan across the top when you turn it out, over a tender walnut sponge. A showpiece that needs no frosting.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe but firm pears, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp raw honey (melted together in the pan)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup (110 g) raw honey
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted butter
- 1/2 cup (120 g) Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 cup (75 g) ground walnuts
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the base of a 9-inch round pan.
- Melt butter and honey; pour into the pan. Arrange pear slices in a fan over it.
- Whisk eggs, honey, melted butter, yogurt and vanilla.
- Fold in flour, ground walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Spoon batter gently over the pears; smooth the top.
- Bake 38–42 minutes until golden and set. Cool 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate.
